Transgender women are banned from the 2028 L.A. Olympics by a new IOC policy
Eligibility for women's competition at the 2028 L.A. Olympics and beyond will be determined by a one-time genetics test through saliva, a cheek swab or a blood sample.
The Olympic Rings sit on display outside the International Olympic Committee Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. (David Ramos / Getty Images) Transgender women athletes will be excluded from the Olympics beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Games after the International Olympic Committee implemented a new eligibility policy on Thursday. Eligibility for women's competition will be determined by a one-time, mandatory genetics test, according to the IOC.
The test requires screening through saliva, a cheek swab or a blood sample. No woman who transitioned from being born male competed at the 2024 Paris Summer Games, and it is unclear if any transgender women currently compete at an Olympic level. The new policy, however, aligns with President Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s or girls’ sporting events in the United States.
The eligibility policy approved by the IOC is not retroactive and does not apply to recreational sports programs. The IOC said in a statement that it "protects fairness, safety and integrity in the female category. "Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females.
" Read more: 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games: Complete coverage Until now, individual sports federations determined whether transgender women were allowed to compete in women's categories, with the IOC providing only recommendations. Sports that placed restrictions on transgender athletes included track and field, boxing, swimming and rugby. The IOC Executive Board approved the new policy after 18 months of study.